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Chapter 22: The List
Chapter 22: The List
After Chen Chuan made the call, he headed straight home. As he approached the house, he heard the commotion of his cousins playing in the living room. A small rubber ball bounced towards him, and with a subtle flick of his foot, he kicked it twice, extending his foot to balance the ball on his instep without a wobble.
"Wow!" His younger cousin, Nian Lu, exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Nian Mo, his other cousin, raised his hands and cheered, "Yeah! Do it again! Once more!"
Chen Chuan gently nudged the ball forward with his foot, sending it rolling towards the two children.
Yu Wan, sitting in a chair and knitting a sweater, knew that Chen Chuan was leaving for Wu Yi University the next day. She had been waiting there since early morning, and now she smiled, saying, "Chan'er, you're back?"
Chen Chuan nodded, "Yes, Auntie. I'm registering tomorrow, so I came back a bit earlier today."
Yu Wan stood up and noticed the dust on his outer garment. "You've been rolling in the dirt, haven't you? Let me take that. It's a good piece of clothing; don't ruin it." She took the garment from him and, after a few words of admonishment, went outside to dust it off.
At that moment, Chen Chuan felt a gust of wind behind him, as if eyes were on the back of his head. He tilted his head slightly, effortlessly catching a thrown ball and tossing it back.
"Wow! Big brother, you're so amazing!"
"Throw it back! Throw it back!"
Chen Chuan returned the ball to the children and casually played with them for a while. Yu Wan returned, placing the cleaned garment in his hands, "Here you go."
Chen Chuan took the garment and headed towards his room, followed by Yu Wan. He knew she had something important to discuss. At the room's entrance, Yu Wan asked with concern, "Chan'er, do you still have enough money?"
"Auntie, you gave me a lot last time. I still have some left," Chen Chuan assured her.
"If it's not enough, you can always ask your auntie. Don't skimp on your studies," Yu Wan advised.
Chen Chuan acknowledged her with a grunt.
Yu Wan continued, "Your uncle wants you to move out in a few days, but now that you've found a place, I think you should wait. Settle into the school dormitory first, and if you don't like it, you can always come back. There's always a place for you here."
"Auntie, is that what Uncle really wants?" Chen Chuan asked.
"How can that be? Can't your auntie make her own decisions?" Yu Wan replied. "It's more important for you to learn skills at the university."
Chen Chuan didn't argue; he knew he could move anytime. "Okay, Auntie, we'll leave it at that for now."
Yu Wan was pleased that he listened. Since his aunt and uncle's absence, she had treated Chen Chuan like her own son. The thought of him moving out made her feel a bit sentimental.
After Yu Wan left, Chen Chuan returned to his room, closing the door behind him. He hung his garment on the door hook and walked to his desk, opening a drawer to count the remaining money.
Yu Wan had initially given him six hundred jianyuan currency. He had used one hundred for registration, and in the past two months, expenses for food, training, and equipment damage at the Fist House, along with other miscellaneous costs, had amounted to over three hundred jianyuan, averaging one hundred and fifty jianyuan per month.
In the upcoming month, Chen Chuan anticipated similar expenses, if not more, for his training with Coach Gu. However, once Wu Yi University officially commenced, room and board would be free for internal students, and most of the tuition fees could be waived if he passed the second-round exams. But he knew expenses wouldn't simply disappear; they might even increase, so he aimed to secure a scholarship from the university.
At the same time, within Wu Yi University, Lecturer Bian Feng and another teacher, Yue Hong, primarily responsible for recruitment, strolled down the hallway of the university building.
Yue Hong clapped his hands, "The expansion policy has been in effect for ten years, and the number of students registering annually continues to rise. This year, we've attracted even more students, reaching a record two thousand from Yangzhi City and the surrounding six counties. It seems the authorities are intensifying their efforts."
Bian Feng's voice deepened, "Yangzhi City has a population of six million, and with the surrounding towns and counties, even excluding the mountainous regions, there's over ten million. "Yet, this is the outcome of a decade of expansion."
Yue Hong chuckled and said, "Be grateful for what we have. Back in our day, who wasn't taught personally by the teachers before admission? Who didn't start training from a young age? Nowadays, many students train at martial arts clubs for a year or two, or even just half a year, and they get a chance to enter the university. The opportunities are far greater than they were in our time."
Bian Feng shook his head. "Those students are barely qualified for admission. If one in ten passes the re-examination, that's already a good outcome."
Yue Hong nodded in agreement. Although both of them were students of Wu Yi University, there was a significant difference between those who passed the re-examination and those who didn't. The former were the truly talented individuals the university would invest its efforts in cultivating, while the latter could only be considered as extras.
After a decade of expansion, the actual changes within Wu Yi University were not as significant as one might expect. The overall number of elite students each year didn't fluctuate much, and the reason was simple: resources were always limited, and they could only be allocated to a certain extent towards those deemed worthy of cultivation.
The more significant reason was that most of the resources were taken up by powerful students with connections, leaving only a small portion for the ordinary students. Although the upper management of the university was aware of this issue and was trying to make adjustments, the results were limited.
He couldn't help but sigh and say, "How can anyone willingly give up the benefits they've already obtained?"
As the two of them spoke, they arrived outside the office of the academy's recruitment manager. Before they had even approached, they heard a loud and vigorous voice coming from inside:
"Is there any point in the university's scholarship program now? Every year, those who receive scholarships are the ones backed by influential students. After graduation, they all go to serve the aristocracy. The intention was to give ordinary students a chance, but it's been taken over by others. What's the point of expanding enrollment then? In the end, the strong get stronger, and the weak get weaker. It's even worse than ten years ago. I think it should be cut entirely, or at least reduced!"
Bian Feng and Yue Hong both had keen ears. Even through the wall, in the quiet corridor, they could clearly hear the voice coming from the other side:
"We should still give some hope. Ordinary students may not be able to compete with those with connections, but there will always be outstanding ones who emerge. Even if it's just one or two, that's a good thing. Our approach has been effective, and if the scholarships are canceled, there will be no hope left."
"You're a councilor of the university; you have the final say in this matter. But if this session is the same as before, next time, find someone else to handle it."
There was a click as the phone was hung up, and then the voice continued, "What are the two of you doing outside? Waiting to see me make a fool of myself? Come in."
Bian Feng and Yue Hong pushed open the door and entered. Inside, a man in his fifties, with thick black hair, sat behind a desk. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, a robust physique, and a stern expression. He was dressed in a deep black imported suit, with every button at the cuffs and collar fastened meticulously. He appeared to be a very meticulous person.
He occupied almost half of the office with his presence. His feet, like pillars, were firmly planted on the ground behind the desk, making the chair he sat on almost invisible. Bian Feng and Yue Hong both bowed slightly and addressed him, "Master Gao."
Master Gao said, "Have you prepared the list of students for the assessment?"
Yue Hong replied, "Yes, I've brought it with me." He handed over the list and said, "Please review it, Master Gao."
Master Gao waved his hand and said, "Don't show it to me. Send it to the university council; at least half of them will be removed. The council will definitely add their favored students to the list."
Bian Feng looked up and said, "At least half of them will remain."
Master Gao shook his head and said, "With so many applicants this year, the pressure is high. But the greater the pressure, the greater the backlash. It's already a headache, and now this... Never mind." He seemed to change his mind halfway through his sentence, grabbing the list from Yue Hong's hand and frowning. "Let's take a look. We might as well try to be fair, even if it's not very effective."
(End of Chapter)
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